The Amber Eyes Of The Owl
by Thornpaw of Clawclan
Summary: Amber has always been the loner. The no friends. Neutral. Amber. But when she finds a forest dwelling gang of teenagers, Thundergang, everything changes. Now she is thrust into a world of danger, friendship, love, heart break, and loyalty. But can she protect the people she love, or will they fall through her fingers like the soft owl feathers.


My name is Amber. Well, it was, soon it'll be Amberpaw! I've been Amberkit for so long. I am twelve, nearly thirteen, and i live in Britain on the edge Of the countryside, miles of trees on side of my house and buildings and roads on the other. I didn't really fit in anywhere, especially not at school. I'm too shy, too eager, to excitable, too determined. It was a little depressing. They called me Amber because I wasn't good, or bad enough for it to be impressive. I was amber, neutral. The one nobody cared about.

Well, that was until Januray the seventh. It was freezing and I had lost my gloves and my homework and I was lost on my way back from school. Its quite a walk, I have to go through a large amount of the forest. In summer its a lovely, gentle, relaxing walk. A quiet peaceful time to admire the scenery, the nature and the tranquillity.

In spring its an abundance of life. Baby bird song fills the forest, flowers begin to bloom, blossom filling the tree branches like lovely pink clouds. In autumn the leaves turn golden and orange, making the trees beautiful and lighting up the forest with its amber glow. In some winters, the cold air is crisp and refreshing. Sparkling fresh white snow falls from the pale blue sky, showing the leaves and grass in fluffy powder. However, in some winters, when no snow falls, it's horrendously cold, the wind biting at your skin as you curl your hands into fists to try and contain the warmth, teeth chattering, toes froze and all you want to do it crawl and lie next to a radiator.

It was one of those days. I had a rough day at school, pretty angry at some rather unfriendly people. I was shuffling my feet trying desperately to recognise a familiar tree branch or root. I didn't have a phone to text my mum as I want aloud one yet. I considered calling for help. I put my rucksack on the ground and leant against a icy tree trunk to rest for a moment, as I was freezing cold.

When suddenly a sixteen year old boy jumps out of the bushes and lunges at me, pinning me to the ground under his arm. I'm small for my age so I couldn't move. I was paralysed by shock and fear, shaking with the bitter cold, my big yellow eyes wide open. The boy had intense blue eyes that seemed to see straight through me. His hair was dark murky brown and cut jaggedly in a sideways fringe. He seemed to be still, and had no problem at all holding me firm.

I tried to struggle but it was useless and he pinned me there until a girl a few years younger than me with red hair and pale white skin bounced up to the boy, followed by a fourteen year old boy and a girl my age, if a little older. The younger girl leapt beside the boy pinning me, her face was eager with excitement and curiosity. "Hawkfeather you caught a rouge, lets get her!" she gasped.

I swallowed, scared of what the boy- Hawkfeather would do to me. The other girl cuffed the redhead and pushed her away. "Thats enough Redkit, get back and let me and Littlepaw handle this" she hissed at the red head. Redkit pouted, but her eyes were still fixed on me. The other boy came forward. "Let her go why don't you, she's obviously a kittypet, just leave her" he suggested.

Hawkfeather let me up, but still held onto me. "Fine, but we are not attacking her, got that Redkit" he said firmly. I struggled. "Struggling won't help you, just stay and we'll let you go, honestly" Littlepaw promised me. I gulped, taking them all in. The boy softened his grip. "What is your name, kittypet?" he asked me. I didnt know what a kittypet meant but I guess I was one of them.

"Amber" I answered. Hawkfeather nodded. "I am Hawkfeather of Thundergang, and this is Cherrypaw, Littlepaw and Redkit" he introduced them all. I nodded. "Hello" I said nervously. Hawkfeather looked at me, realising his grip. "You are on Thundergang territory, this is our part of the forest, did you know that?" he asked, his face softened.

"Why don't you just attack her!" asked Redkit. Cherrypaw glared at her. "One more word from you and you'll be straight back to camp to Moonsky, understood" she scolded the young girl. Redkit hung her head."Yeah yeah sorry Cherrypaw" she muttered.

"Thundergang? Who are you? Sorry, I just got lost, I cant get home, I was walking back from school" I said told them, going to collect my bag and brushing off the frost. Hawkfeather sighed. "Oh, your just a kittypet, all right then, that's fine, you went to know"

"Whats Thundergang?" I asked curiously. He looked at me in interest, clearly working something out in his head. "We are a group of youth that spend our time in the forest. We are good friends, we share food, we respect our ways, and our beliefs. We looked out for each other, we care for each other and we train as hard as we can" Redkit looked appalled.

She was sitting cross-legged in a patch of ivy, her mouth stretched open. "Why are you telling her that?!" she squeaked. Cherrypaw met her gaze with a death glare. "Littlepaw, will you take Redkit back to camp!" she snapped at the skinny fourteen year old boy. "I clearly underestimated her skills at border patrolling"

Redkit looked close to tears, her face crumpled. Cherrypaw sighed and patted the younger girls head. "Sorry Redkit, grab something from the food pile and share it with your siblings, tell Moonsky you were sent back because it was dangerous" she told her. The red head perked up and started to run into the forest. I just realised she was bare foot. How did the terrain not hurt her feet.

But she seemed to effortlessly bound away on the breeze, her feet skimming the earth, jumping over fallen trees and sharpened stone, ducking through brambles and lichen. I watched her a little enviously as Littlepaw struggled to keep up with her, calling to her to slow down. Hawfeather and Cherrypaw turned back to me.

"We are sorry we attacked, we just thought you might be from one of the other gangs" Cherrypaw said kindly. "Other gangs?" I asked. I was fascinated by all this. "Thundergang only owns part of the forest, the rest is taken up by the other gangs, we compete with Rivergang, Windgang, and Shadowgang. Shadowgang are the worst, they are so fierce they would have really hurt you. Some carry knives, never get lost on _their_ territory!" she warned me, shuddering.

"What are the other gangs like?" I asked. The two exchanged a glance. "Come on Cherrypaw, we don't have time for this, we have to join Whitefoot and Brackentails hunting patrol at sundown, and don't forget I have an apprentice of my own, who by the way I am assessing soon" he told her patiently. "Hehehe, Damppaw needs the training huh!" she giggled.

"You go find Littlepaw and Redkit, I'll indulge the kittypet" she said casually. Hawkfeather smiled at me. "Right, escort her out afterwards" he called to her as he bounded away through the bracken. Cherrypaw turned to me. "Well Amber, to answer your question," she began. "Rivergang live around the lake, under the bridge, and attack trespassers who try cross"

"They sound scary" I said with feeling. I hate swimming and getting wet, and am terrified to submerging my head. Cherrypaw continued. "They just eat fish they catch from their precious river. Yuck! Windgang live beside the forest, on the rolling hills. All out in the _open_!" she shuddered. Then her face became serious. "Shadowgang are the worst though, always attacking our warriors, stealing our kits, taking our prey! Mousehearts!" she continued, sounding disgusted.

I gasped. I hated the sound of shadowgang! They sounded so evil, stealing kits. What were kits, I guess younger ones like Redkit. I was still curious though, in these gangs. What happened. What was Thundrgang like.

"And you all live and share food together"

Cherrypaw fixed me with a glance. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe you should find these things out for yourself" I turned my head sideways in confusion. "How would you like to join Thundergang?" she asked me. She ignored my stunned face and continued. "If you did you would train with Swaypaw, Leafpaw,Thornpaw,Damppaw Floodpaw,Rosepaw,Earlypaw,Littlepaw and I to become a warrior. You will be asked to defend our gang, even with the cost of your life. And in the seasons of leaf bare-" she guesterd to the icicles hanging from the tree branches. "Nights can be cruel, but the rewards are great, you will remain young, you will be trained in the ways of the wild, you will truly know what its like to be free"

I listened, enchanted. Thundergang sounded amazing. A big group of people I'd know, I'd be protected, I'd have friends! But, I'd have to work so hard, it would be demanding and would need my loyalty. But, it still sounded incredible. I thought about it in my mind, arguing the strengths and weakness in my head" Cherrypaw seemed to read my mind.

"Are you wondering whether its worth giving up your comfortable kittypet life?" she asked. "But do you realise the price you will pay for your warmth and safety?" I didn't know what to say. "Then I will escort you back to your hosefolk" she said, looking crestfallen. "There is no guarantee you'll become a full warrior, most of the kits are introduced to the clan at birth"

"Wait!" I cried as the jumped away. She stopped, and turned back to me. "Yes?"

"Can- can I think about your offer?" I asked. Cherrypaw gave a broad smile. "I will be patrolling here tomorrow with Icefur, Starclaw and Littlepaw, give us your answer then" she said softly. "Now come, lets get you back to your twoleg nest" she said, beginning to run. She ran so fast, I was panting trying to keep up with her. What did twoleg nest mean? A house? They had them right? Or did they just live out in the wild? As she was running I noticed a mark on her arm. "What's that?" I called to her as we ran. She stopped abruptly, making me crash into her.

"What's what?" she asked hurriedly. Then she looked round cautiously. "Rouges?" she asked. I shook my head. "No, that!" I said, tracing the mark on her arm. It was a black shape of a cat head with a yellow mark of lightning running through it. Cherrypaw noticed what is was looking at and smiled. "Ahh, that's the mark of the thundergang, you'll get one to if you join, its a mark to signify who we are"

"Does it hurt, getting it?" I asked, as she began to run again, slowing down slightly to match my pace. I knew about tattoos and the giant needles that stabbed into your skin, straight into your vein. "No, its given to you by Stargang" she explain. "Stargang?" I asked, the trees were beginning to feel more familiar, the sky was dark milky blue, littered with the white stars that shone down on them. She stopped me suddnly.

"We're here, can you see much?" she asked. I tried to see, squinting, but the starlight didn't give away much. "No, can you?" I asked her. Cherrypaw nodded. "Yes, we all have good eyesight; don't come out again at night, Shadowgang patrol in the darkness, they'd prey on a kittypet like you" she said. "Ok" I said,turning my head. "Can you find your way back from here?"

"Yeah, I think so" I told her. "Come back here at sun high, we'll be waiting" she ordered, then vanished into the night. I tried to absorb all the information I had just received. "Well...allright then" I said to myself. I could see my own breath in the icy cold air. I shivered. Part of me wishes she hadn't gone. I felt so strong, just by talking to her. I'd be in trouble with mum. I loved the night.

I made my decision. I would join them, to share their adventures.


End file.
